Routines: Full-Body vs Muscle Group Splits

Introduction

We all know that time is our most precious resource. Your fitness journey should align with your schedule and goals, however, the sheer volume of information available — only a fraction of which applies to you — can make planning a program overwhelming.

Two popular workout strategies—full-body training and muscle group splits—serve as a foundation for most fitness routines. Full-body training focuses on working the entire body in each session, while muscle group splits target specific muscle groups on different days. By aligning your goals with the right strategy, you can streamline your efforts and create a workout plan that works for you. Whether you’re busy, juggling deadlines or a fitness newcomer learning the ropes, hopefully, I can help guide you towards the best route. Let’s dive in!

---

Routine Breakdown: How They Work

Full-Body Training:  

- Why It's Effective: Full-body training challenges the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, making it a versatile approach to fitness. It’s particularly effective for beginners, as it builds endurance and strength while mimicking movement patterns used in daily life—think hinges, squats, and overhead presses. These exercises are typically compound lifts, targeting a primary muscle and engaging synergist and stabilizer muscles. Common examples include barbell squats, bench presses, lat pulldowns, deadlifts, push-ups, pull-ups, and twisting motions.

You can see why the Lat Pulldown is a compound movement. With all those muscles helping, it is an amazing exercise.

- Why I Prefer It: Full-body training is my go-to routine, especially now that I exercise 3–4 days a week and don’t have time for muscle-group splits. My goals have shifted from bodybuilding to functional fitness, health, and longevity. Full-body workouts allow me to burn more calories during a strength training routine while fitting into my busy schedule.

- What It Is: This routine targets all major muscle groups (legs, chest, back, core) or movement patterns (hinge, squat, push, pull, press, lift) in every session.  

- Frequency: 2–4 days per week.  

- Key Exercises: Barbell-based (BB) compound lifts rule the day here! BB Back Squat, BB Bench Press, BB Bent-over Row, BB Overhead Press, BB Deadlift. We use the barbell compound lifts because the weight is evenly distributed across the body, rather than isolated to a specific limb. Dumbbells (free weights) provide a measure of stabilization training for the lift because of the weight distribution.

---

Muscle Group Splits:

Muscle-group splits, often called "splits," involve training certain muscle groups on different days, or splitting the training up in another way. This approach is popular among bodybuilders because it allows focused, intense work on individual muscles, driving hypertrophy (muscle growth). By isolating muscle groups, you can bring them to failure, which is critical for building size. 

- Why It’s Effective: Splits let you attack a muscle from multiple angles. For example, on a "back and biceps" day, you might start with lat pulldowns, move to bicep curls, and finish with single-arm bent-over rows and pull-ups. This targeted approach ensures you’re working the prime movers (like the lats and biceps) while also engaging stabilizers and synergists. However, this method requires more gym days to avoid overloading each session.

- What It Is: Focuses on 1–2 muscle groups per session (e.g., “back/biceps day” or “leg day”).  

- Frequency: 4–6 days per week.

- Key Exercises: Some exercises, such as bicep curls, leg extensions, and lateral raises are isolation exercises. Any free-weight exercise is generally considered an isolation exercise, as each arm or leg is worked independently from the rest of the body. If not performed correctly and symmetrically, this can introduce muscle imbalances.

This PHUL (Power, Hypertrophy, Upper, Lower) split routine emphasizes Upper Body Pure Strength (incorrectly labeled as power, which is the rate of force production) on the first day, Lower Body Strength on the second day, then Upper Hypertrophy and Lower Hypertrophy the next two days. This is represented by the difference in reps between the two parts of the routine. Generally speaking, strength is more sets and fewer reps, while hypertrophy is fewer sets and more reps, taking the lift to failure on every set.

---

The Goods: Science-Backed Benefits and Trade-Offs

I’ve pulled research from scientific journals to compare these routines across key factors like energy expenditure, muscle growth, and time commitment. Here’s what the evidence says:

1. Energy Expenditure & Weight Loss  

- Energy expenditure is the cornerstone of any fitness goal, whether you’re aiming to lose weight, maintain, or gain muscle. Every movement you make burns calories, even at rest (your Resting Metabolic Rate, or RMR, accounts for the energy needed to breathe, pump blood, and maintain basic bodily functions).

- Full-Body Training:  
  - Burns more calories per session due to compound lifts engaging multiple muscles (Ribeiro et al., ‘Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise’, 2020).  
  - Ideal for weight loss and busy schedules—fewer gym days with a higher metabolic burn and EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption).  

- Muscle Group Splits:  
  - Lower calories burned per session, but allows you to be more efficient in where that energy is invested in your body.  
  - Best for those with 4–5 days/week to dedicate to training.

Takeaway: If you’re short on time or prioritizing fat loss, full-body training is the winner.

---

2. Muscle Growth & Frequency  

- Muscle growth depends on training volume and intensity. Full-body training generally doesn’t take each muscle group to failure, but it stimulates muscle protein synthesis multiple times per week. Splits, on the other hand, allow for higher weekly volume per muscle group, which drives hypertrophy.

- Full-Body Training:  
  - Promotes steady muscle growth by stimulating protein synthesis 3x weekly (Schoenfeld et al., ‘Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research’, 2016).  
  - Great for maintaining muscle while cutting calories.  

- Muscle Group Splits:  
  - Higher weekly volume per muscle group drives hypertrophy (Schoenfeld et al., *Sports Medicine*, 2017).  
  - Requires 4+ days/week to hit all muscles adequately.  

Takeaway: Splits excel for muscle growth if you can commit to more frequent workouts.

---

3. Quality of Exercise & Skill Development

- The effectiveness of a routine depends on how well it aligns with your goals and how easily you can perform the exercises. Full-body routines can lead to fatigue, which may compromise form in later exercises. Splits, however, allow you to focus on specific lifts without as much fatigue.

- Full-Body Training:  
  - Fatigue from compound lifts (e.g., deadlifts) may reduce form quality in later exercises (‘Journal of Sports Sciences’, 2018).  
  - Best done with online video guidance or hybrid coaching to refine technique.  
  - Stabilization and mobility exercises are easy to incorporate.  

- Muscle Group Splits:  
  - Lower fatigue per muscle group = better focus on form.  
  - Ideal for beginners learning lifts like squats or bench presses with in-person coaching.  
  - Bonus: Single-arm exercises improve stabilization, though mobility work can be harder to integrate.  

Takeaway: Beginners benefit from splits with in-person coaching, while experienced lifters can thrive with full-body routines.

---

4. Time Commitment & Consistency  

- Consistency is key, and your schedule will heavily influence which routine works best. Full-body training is more forgiving if you miss a session, while splits require a predictable schedule to avoid neglecting muscle groups.

- Full-Body Training:  
  - Efficient for 2–3 days/week—perfect for busy professionals.  
  - Flexible timing: Online programs let you train anytime, anywhere.  

- Muscle Group Splits:  
  - Requires 4–5 days/week to avoid neglecting muscles.  
  - Demands a consistent schedule, ideal for those with predictable free time.  

Takeaway: Your availability dictates the best approach.

---

Which is Best For You?

Your fitness goals and schedule are two of the biggest factors when deciding between full-body training and muscle group splits. Here’s a quick look:

- For Busy People: Online Full-Body Programs  
  - Maximize calorie burn and strength in quick 30–45 minute sessions.  
  - No commute—stream workouts during lunch breaks or evenings.  
  - Perfect for weight loss and maintaining muscle.  

- For Fitness Beginners: In-Person Split Training  
  - Learn lifts safely with 1-on-1 coaching.  
  - Build confidence through structured splits (e.g., “upper body day”).  
  - Gradual progression reduces injury risk.  

- For Advanced Lifters (w/More Time): Custom Split Plans  
  - Tailored 4–5 day splits to push hypertrophy or strength gains.  
  - Combine in-person or online coaching for peak results.  

---

What Do The Workouts Look Like?

Even with all this information, we still haven’t explored a typical workout for each of these routines. Many routines will overlap; lifting basics are the basics for a reason. The biggest difference will be for people with movement impairments or who need to strengthen before attempting a specific lift.

---

Final Thoughts

Personally, I love full-body routines. While the muscle gains may not match those of a split program, the simplicity, functional benefits, and calorie burn make it a great choice for most people. It’s perfect for those who want to improve mobility, strength, and endurance while fitting workouts into a busy schedule.

- Choose full-body training if: You’re time-crunched, want weight loss, or prefer minimalist routines.  

- Choose muscle splits if: You’re a bodybuilder, a beginner needing guidance on form, or if you have at least 4 days per week to dedicate to training.  

At Joint Fitness LLC, I design programs that match your life—bringing your fitness goals in line with your routine.

---

Sources Cited:  

- Ribeiro et al. (2020). Metabolic impact of full-body resistance training.  
- Schoenfeld et al. (2016, 2017). Muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophy meta-analyses.  
- *Journal of Sports Sciences* (2018). Fatigue and exercise performance.  

---

Ready to Start Strong?  

Whether you’re squeezing in a workout between meetings or building your foundation with expert coaching, Joint Fitness LLC has your back. Call anytime to set up a Strategy Session or click here ===> Contact Joint Fitness to complete the request/question form.  

Joint Fitness, LLC ^SM - Achieving Your Goals, Together 💪